Nurse Practitioner Salary
The nursing profession is one of the oldest in the medical and healthcare history. These medical workers have been taking care of people with different illnesses since World War 1. Most nurses fifty years ago are women because it’s their nature to care and look after others. People who find humanitarian work interesting will surely find being a nurse a rewarding profession. The nursing profession wouldn’t just provide you with a great career and a thick wallet. It can also nurture you from within and develop the greater good in you while being able to satisfy your spiritual needs. To be in this type of job is like being the good Samaritan. The inner satisfaction you will get from helping and caring for sick people is simply priceless.
Advanced practice nurse is divided into four categories and of the four is the nurse practitioner. To be a nurse practitioner one must gain a master’s degree after receiving the title of an RN. NPs may practice independently in some states in the U.S. They can work in hospitals, long-term care or medical facilities and in other health care agencies. This type of nursing practice is bound to be focus on clinic work which is very similar to physicians under general practice. Just like doctors who have different specialties NPs can also choose to focus or specialize in a certain field. They can diagnose and treat a wide range of acute and chronic diseases. They can also provide and advise medication or treatment for any type of injuries. NP’s are also knowledgeable when it comes to lab results interpretation. Most of the time their work is all about counseling patients, developing treatment plans and medication prescription.
NPs are medical professionals who have earned a medical degree in the treatment of common and complex medical conditions. They are licensed under the nursing board. If you want to be an NP by profession you must be must be an RN first. To be a registered nurse (RN) you have to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing and must complete the required clinical duty hours focused on treating ill patients. You will also need to pass two major licensing test that will is administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
There are different types of NPs but the most common these days are Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner. The average nurse practitioner salary can range from $80,000 to $106,000 a year but can still be higher or lower depending on the area of practice, location and skill-set. The nurse practitioner salary can be very lucrative but this shouldn’t be your only reason to pursue this medical profession. You have to remember that this type of job call for people who are keen when it comes to caring and helping other people. This job is also not for those individuals who have a weak-heart because there would be a lot of scenarios that would be too extreme for the faint-hearted.
